The Way She Looks at Him
by jerbils11
Summary: Part one of the "Look" Trilogy. What happens if Derek's cousin Drew comes to visit just as Derek and Casey were about to confess their feelings for each other? What happens when jealousy appears? Dasey... :D
1. Chapter 1: Surprise Visitor

**The Way She Looks at Him**

**Chapter One: Surprise Visitor**

Casey McDonald lay on her bed, a notebook in front of her, and a pencil resting on her lip. She gently chewed on the eraser and stared at the blank paper in front of her and racked her brains for the right words. She was supposed to be writing an essay about how one person affected her life, but nothing was coming to mind. Her mind kept wandering to the person responsible for the loud music pounding through the wall. Derek Venturi. Casey's annoying stepbrother. Although, recently, Casey had not been seeing him as so annoying.

She had seen the sweet, caring side of Derek, like a few weeks ago at the kid's camp they had helped run. He had been so sweet with the kids, and sweet to Casey. It had shocked her, but in a good way. She liked the sweet side of Derek. She had begun to feel something deep inside of her ever since he had put a hula hoop around her and looked her full in the eye. The look he had given her had sparked feelings inside her that she did not want to think about.

Regardless, Casey had felt it was unfair to continue going out with Max while she was so confused. So, one day, after kid's camp, she met Max at Smelly Nellie's and told him that she had some things she needed to clear up and that she needed some time and space. They had ended it on good terms, but she could tell that Max was hurt and confused. So, she was shocked when she saw Kendra and Max on a date only a week after Max and Casey's break-up.

She turned onto her back and sighed; she was scared to let her feelings for Derek show themselves. She was afraid that she mike actually _like_ him. As in more than a stepbrother. More than a friend. Now that was a scary thought. She shook her head and groaned. Even if she did like him like that, he would never date her, or even like her back. Derek isn't the 'date his stepsister' type of guy. The music suddenly shut off and Casey sat up straight, listening intently. Just as she had hoped, there was a loud knock on her door. She took a deep, calming breath, and went over to the door. When she opened it, there he was, leaning on her doorway, his shaggy light brown hair hanging down in his eyes as he looked up at her.

"Ye-" she cleared her throat, "Yes?"

Derek looked down and then back up at her; he seemed nervous, almost worried. He walked into her room and began pacing, barely noticing her presence.

"Derek? What's up?" Casey closed her door and walked over to him. Without thinking, she grabbed his hand to stop his pacing.

At her touch he stopped and looked in her eyes. He kept his hand in hers and opened his mouth to say something, "Casey, I-"

"Kids! Come down here, please! Hurry!" George Venturi called, interrupting Derek.

Their hands broke apart instantly as they ran out of the room and downstairs. The five children sat down, looking at their parents who stood in front of them by the T.V. George looked cautiously at Derek, and then he began to speak.

"I just got a call from my brother, Nicholas, and he has a favor to ask of us."

"What does Uncle Nick want now?" Derek asked, sounding exasperated.

Casey shot him a confused look before returning her gaze to George. "Well, his eldest son, Drew needs a place to stay for two weeks while Nicholas and his wife go on a business trip. They were able to find places for Erika and Dylan to stay, but no one seems to want to host a sixteen year old boy for two weeks."

"No, no, no. NO! Dad, Drew is NOT coming here!" Derek glanced at Casey as he said this.

George sighed, "Derek, I already said yes. I know you don't get along with him. But I'm doing this for my brother. Please, just do this for me, Derek."

Derek crossed his arms over his chest, "Fine. But he's not getting my bed again!"

"He'll take the couch, I'm sure he won't mind." George said, looking a little relieved.

"When's he coming?" Derek asked, sneaking a glance at Casey as he said it.

George took a deep breath, "He should be here any minute." Derek groaned, and, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.

George hurried to answer it and the kids and Nora watched curiously. "Drew!" George said and hugged someone out of sight to the occupants of the living room, "You're dad was in a real hurry, huh? Here, let me get that suitcase for you."

George led Drew into the living room, setting the suitcase down. Casey, who had been playing with a pillow and thinking about the situation with Derek earlier, looked up at the loud sound. As she looked at the tall, dark-haired figure of Drew Venturi, and looked into his deep brown eyes, she forgot all about Derek and her mysterious feelings for him.

Drew Venturi had captured Casey's attention immediately and she intended on letting him have it as long as possible.

**A/N: So, this is my new LWD fanfic... please enjoy and R&R:D Let me know what you think. And I don't know about you, but I really can't think of anyone hotter than Michael Seater, but if you could think of someone to be his cousin, who is just a little bit hotter, picture him as Drew. Hahaha. Thanks!**

**-Jacki :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Hatred and Jealousy

**A/N: This is not as long as I hoped... but it works:D R&R!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Two: Hatred and Jealousy **

Derek inwardly groaned as he looked from Drew to Casey. She was giving him that look. The look Derek wanted from her. But, here she was, giving it to his cousin. His annoying, arrogant cousin. He wasn't right for Casey, but Drew looked into Casey's eyes and he gave her a brilliantly white smile. Derek's face fell as he watched her face light up. He never got that. All he got was a scowl or furrowed eyebrows. And a scream. He should have known; Drew was known for stealing Derek's girls. Always. For as long as he could remember, Drew had been stealing all the girls Derek had his eye on. But, stealing Casey… that was too far.

Derek stood up, glared at Drew, and then took off up the stairs. Ignoring Drew's sarcastic remark about how he was properly greeting his guest. But he couldn't ignore the giggle that Casey let out from his remark. He growled and continued up the stairs and into his room. He slammed the door behind him and flopped onto his bed. He hated Drew. He was so close to coming out and telling Casey that he liked her, and then _Drew_ had to come! It made him want to punch something. Drew's face as that something would be preferred.

He rolled over onto his side and stared at the wall; he heard Drew talking to his family downstairs and he felt sick. He would not go down there and watch Drew sweep Casey off her feet. He had seen that enough with Sam and Max. Downstairs, Casey let out a loud laugh and Derek's stomach churned. He _hated_ Drew.

Casey smiled at the boy sitting next to her, "So, Drew, do you come to visit here often?"

Drew looked over at her and grinned, it was remarkable how he had the same traits as Derek, but looked much cuter, "Well, I used to come over all the time. But, a couple years ago, I just stopped because- well- things weren't great with Derek. But, now, I had no where else to go, and I figured, whatever problems I had with Derek could wait… for now."

Casey smiled, "Yeah, I know what it's like having Derek problems."

"He doesn't give you trouble, does he?"

Casey laughed, "Derek? He gives me nothing _but_ trouble."

Drew smiled, "That's Derek, for you."

"Don't I know it…"

The rest of the family mumbled excuses about having things to do, like homework and fixing dinner, and Drew and Casey were left alone.

"So, how does a guy like Derek end up with such a beautiful girl like you living in his house?"

Casey blushed, "I don't know. He doesn't think of me as beautiful, all I am to him is his annoying stepsister."

Drew looked at her inquisitively, "Does that upset you?"

Casey smiled and flipped her hear to one side, "Not at all."

Derek had heard Casey's statement, because he had finally decided to come back down. But, at the sound of her uncaring words, he turned right back around. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew it. She didn't like him as more than a stepbrother. She didn't even like him _as_ a stepbrother. And she thought that he thought the same of her. Why couldn't he have been nicer to her? Maybe then she would realize that he didn't hate her.

He only pranked on her because she wouldn't give him any attention any other way. He only wanted her attention, that's all. She just couldn't see that. But, somehow, he needed to make her see. He just had to wait until Drew was gone. He walked back into his room and closed the door, leaning against it. It was embarrassing, losing the girl of your dreams (who just happened to be your stepsister) to your cousin. Drew was _not_ a good person, but he _was_ a good actor. And he could pretend to be any type of guy Casey wanted.

Derek was going to stop this and get Casey back.

He just needed a way to make Casey see Drew's true colors.


	3. Chapter 3: What He Hides So Well

**A/N: So, I got a lot of feedback with the other two chapters, and I'm so glad to hear that you liked it! Thanks so much for the support:D R&R!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Three: What He Hides So Well, You Don't See**

Derek sat at the dining room table, staring at his food, pushing a piece of chicken all over his plate, but not eating a bite of any of his food. Drew was sitting across from him, taking Casey's usual spot; Casey was now sitting between Drew and Lizzie, looking comfortable and smiling over at Drew. Drew was telling some story about something that happened back at his home, involving him, a small child and a rushing river… or was it a small kitten and a large tree. Derek had no clue; all he knew that it was a heroic deed and it made Casey impressed with Drew all the more. He looked up at his dad, who was listening intently to Drew's tale and he rolled his eyes, his dad was so gullible.

He set his silverware down hard and looked up at Drew, "Why do you always make up stories? No one believes them! Take it from the Lord of the Lies, you SUCK at this making up stories thing. So just STOP. Just stop!" Derek yelled, and hurriedly got up from the table.

Casey was looking at him, well more like, glaring at him, outraged. He looked at her and for a brief second his face softened and he looked, sad. But then he glared at her back and ran up the stairs, and into his room, slamming the door. Below, down at the table, the Venturis, Nora and Lizzie looked around at each other, confused. Casey smiled and waved it off, then looked back over to Drew.

"So…Drew, finish your story, please." She said as sweetly as possible, and taking a bite of broccoli.

As Drew droned on about how he rescued this little kid out of a violent rushing stream, Lizzie slipped away, unnoticed and ran upstairs. She cautiously walked over to Derek's door and knocked. Over the time she had lived there, she had grown used to Derek. She remembered the first time she had come to ask Derek to help Casey. He laughed in her face, but she had been shy and afraid of him then. Now, he was just like a brother to her, she could talk to him and not be afraid or shy. So, when he opened the door, she took a deep breath and walked in.

He fell back onto his bed as Lizzie quietly shut the door, "I don't feel like talking right now, Liz, what do you want?" he didn't sound angry, just tired.

Lizzie sighed and sat down next to him on the edge of his bed, "Derek, what's going on? Drew seems real nice."

Derek rolled over, facing away from Lizzie, "I said I didn't feel like talking."

Lizzie sighed again, she was not going to leave with just that, "Come on, Derek, I've lived with you for over a year, I know when you're just acting mean to get attention, and when you really truly don't like someone. So, Drew must have done something in the past to make you hate him so much."

Now it was his turn to sigh; he rolled back over and sat up, "Lizzie, if I tell you what happened, you promise not to tell anyone, not even Casey?"

She looked him in the eye, "Promise."

He took a deep breath, "Last time Drew came to visit, I was almost fourteen, and he was fourteen. He was visiting for a month during the summer. He and I were like best friends, we always looked forward to spending summers together. Either he would come here, or I would visit his house. But this time, it was different. Drew was a 'real teenager' now, and to him, I was just an annoying kid. I'm only a few months younger than him, but it didn't matter. He was older, that was all he needed. So, when he came to visit, he treated me like dirt. He ignored me and tried to make plans with older friends he had come to make over his many visits here. He went out with a couple of girls, including Emily. But one day, he decided to take pity on me, and bring me on one of his 'cool group date' things. I expected it to be fun; we were going to the carnival that happened to be in town that month. And well, the night was going pretty well, I had thought so, anyway. But, when the time came for us to 'pair up' for a ride on the Ferris wheel, everyone paired up, except for me, Drew and too really hot girls. Drew smiled, and put his arms around both the girls and climbs into the car with both of them. I was stuck alone, so I went to wait for the group by the fun slide. I tried to watch for when they got off, but it was too crowded and I never saw them get off. I just figured it was a long Ferris wheel ride, but then hours went by and I never saw them. So I decided to go looking for them, because I knew my dad would be furious if I came home without Drew. But the thing was, I had no idea how to get home. One of Drew's friends had driven us, and if they had left without me, I had no ride. So I searched everywhere, double checked, even _triple_ checked, but I never found them. So I ended up seeing Emily and her family and asking for a ride home. When I got home, there was Drew, sitting all smug on the couch, watching T.V. He grinned at me, like he knew something I didn't and then Dad came running out of the kitchen. He was ticked! He ended up yelling at me for 'running away' and 'disobeying Drew'. When I tried to tell him what really happened, he yelled at me for lying at sent me to my room." Derek took a breath and looked over at Lizzie.

She was looking intently at him, "Go on,"

He nodded, "So, needless to say, my Dad believed Drew, and never believed me. He went right on thinking that Drew was right. Of course, Drew can make all adults love him, and my dad is no exception. So, I knew he would come over and pretend everything was fine, but I'm tired of pretending things are fine when they're not."

Lizzie sat there for a minute after he had finished and bit her lip. Then she cleared her throat, "Why don't you want me to tell Casey. Maybe then she won't like Drew as much and pay more attention to you."

Derek scoffed, "What makes you think I want Casey's attention?" he asked, trying to sound uninterested.

Lizzie raised her eyebrow at him, "I'm not blind, you know. But you both think I am." And with that, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Wait, Liz!" he called after her, "What do you mean by 'you both'?! Liz?!"

Outside the door, Lizzie smiled. Finally, Derek was taking a hint. She grinned and walked over to her room. Now if only Casey would.


	4. Chapter 4: He Needs Her Attention Again

**A/N: It's a very short chapter. But it's cool. It's just kinda like a filler. It didn't need to be in the last one, and it's leading up to the next one... So, yeah. Well, here is the next chapter to The Way She Looks At Him, please enjoy! R&R!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Four: He Needs Her Attention Again**

Derek sat slumped against his wall, trying to figure out what Lizzie had said. It sounded like Casey liked Derek too, and she had tried to deny it to Lizzie. When did she get to be so observant? Derek grinned. He rolled off his bed and walked out of his room, looking for Casey, so he could talk to her. He didn't care if Drew seemed cooler, he was going to talk with her, whether she wanted to at the moment or not.

He found her in her room, sitting at her desk typing rapidly to Emily on an IM. He took a deep breath and knocked on the half-open door. She turned around, smiling wide, but then her face fell when she noticed it was him.

"Nice to see you, too, Case," Derek mumbled, but then walked in and closed the door, "Casey, I need to talk to you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Ok."

He walked over to her, "There's been something that I've wanted to tell you for a while now."

She almost looked hopeful. He smiled and opened his mouth to say it, to finally tell her how he felt, when there was a loud knock on her door.

"Case? It's Drew! I was wondering if you wanted to go out for ice cream. My treat!"

She smiled brightly, "I'll be right there!" then she turned to Derek, "We'll talk later, k?" She typed something to Emily and without another word she hurried out of the room, leaving the house with Drew.

He groaned loudly. He knew she would forget about him. Drew had a way of doing that. Making every girl forget about Derek and focus on him. He stormed out of Casey's room and into Lizzie's. He shut the door and went over to his shocked stepsister.

"Derek? What's up?" she asked getting up from her bed and looking at him, puzzled.

"Liz, I need help. I need a way to get Casey to see Drew's true nature and also to get her to see how I f-fee-feel about her."

Lizzie was still shocked at Derek admitting he needed help, "I think I might be able to help. Do you still talk with Kendra?"

Derek smiled, and he and Lizzie began to plan. After a while, Derek heard Casey come up the stairs. He quickly said goodbye to Lizzie and hurried to talk to her.

"Casey! I need to talk to you!" he cried as he stopped in her doorway, and watched her through the open door.

She turned to him, a large goofy grin on her face, "Not now, Derek. I need to talk to Emily!"

Derek sighed and walked back into his room. She was head over heels for Drew, but if his and Lizzie's plan worked, Casey would finally see Drew for what he truly was: a jerk. But in the meantime, it wouldn't hurt to pull a little prank. It was the only way he was getting attention from her anytime soon. He laughed; she was going to be so ticked at him, maybe she would forget about Drew for a little bit.

The next morning, Derek heard the familiar aggravated scream that he loved.

"Der-REK!" she screeched and Derek bounded into the hall, grinning.

"Yes, Casey?"

She came out of the hallway, still in her pajamas, "Where are all my clothes?!"

He smiled and feigned innocence, "I have no clue, Case; it looks like you're going to have to wear some of mine for today. I suggest the orangutan shirt, it looks lovely on you." He winked at her and hurried down the stairs to get some breakfast.

"What did you do, Derek? Why is Casey screaming?" Drew said, his hair all a mess from sleeping on the couch.

Derek laughed, "Don't worry. It wasn't anything _serious._" Derek laughed and went into the kitchen. Lizzie was there, eating a bowl of cereal. She looked up and smiled at Derek, and surprisingly, he smiled in return.

He leaned on his elbows on the counter next to her, "Are you ready for the plan?" he whispered.

Lizzie nodded, "Yep. I just have to wait for Casey to get ready. You go ahead and call Kendra." Lizzie gulped down her milk from her bowl and bounded up the stairs.

Derek grinned and picked up the phone. He needed a little help from his ex-girlfriend in order to show Casey the _real_ Drew.

Of course, he had no idea how well the plan was going to work. But he was pretty sure that one way or the other, Casey would see a side of Drew she didn't know about. The side that's the truth.

He listened as the ringing went on for a little while, and then smiled as he heard her pick up, "Kendra! I have a little favor to ask of you…"


	5. Chapter 5: She Doesn't Want to See

**A/N: So, I have a major shout out going to miss LifeWithTerri. She gave me an idea for the plot of this chapter. So thanks Terri:) And thanks to all my suportive readers :D R&R, loves!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Five: She Doesn't Want to See the Truth**

Derek hung up the phone and grinned; Operation: Bust Drew was a go. He hurried into the living room and sat down beside Drew. For two hours, he had to swallow his pride, for two hours, that was it. It would be hard, but he was willing to do it for Casey. So, Derek put his arm around Drew's shoulders.

"So, cuz, wanna spend some quality time, just you and me, watching the hockey game?" Derek asked, nonchalantly.

Drew looked at him with his eyebrows raised, "Are you serious? I was actually thinking about taking Casey out today."

Derek hid his frown, "I think she has plans with Lizzie today."

"How did you know that, Derek?" Casey asked as she and Lizzie came down the stairs.

Derek smiled at the sight of her in his jeans and a brown t-shirt. She had probably gone out of her way not to wear the shirt he suggested. The thought made him grin, "Oh, it was just a guess." He said, innocently, then turned back to his cousin, "So, Drew, what about it, game?"

Drew shrugged, "I guess. But get off me, kid." He slid away out of Derek's grip.

Derek grinned and winked at Lizzie as she led Casey out the door. Derek flipped on the T.V and scanned the channels until he found the game he was looking for. They had been watching the game for a little over an hour when there was a knock on the front door.

Derek looked at Drew, "I wasn't expecting anyone."

Drew shoved him, "Well, go answer it anyway!"

Derek smiled to himself as he went to let Kendra in. He opened the door and smiled, "Oh, hi, Kendra! I wasn't expecting to see you today!"

Kendra smiled and invited herself in, "Hey, Derek. I was just bored, and figured I'd come over and see if I could hang out with you or Casey." She looked into the living room and her eyes widened, "Well, hello. Who's this Derek?"

Derek led her into the living room, grinning, "Kendra, this is my cousin, Drew. Drew, this is Kendra."

Drew stood up immediately and shook Kendra's hand, keeping intense eye contact.

Kendra giggled, "Wow, strong handshake… Do you play a sport?"

Drew shrugged, "Three actually, hockey, football, basketball."

"Oh, wow, I think athletic guys are so amazing. I mean, I could never pull off kicking a touch up."

Drew grinned, "You mean, touch_down_?"

Kendra giggled again, "Sure. Ooh, were you watching T.V? Can I join you?"

Drew sat down and offered her a place right next to him. She smiled wide and sat so close to him their thighs were touching. Drew slipped his arms around her shoulders inconspicuously and she smiled. Derek grinned and looked to the door.

'_Come on, Liz. Now would be perfect for Casey to walk in the door.'_ He thought, anxiously.

He sat down in his chair and watched Kendra flirt obnoxiously with Drew, making him want to laugh. She was such a good actress. The door began to open and Drew and Derek both jumped up.

"Derek! Oh my gosh! I can not believe you would stoop this low!" Drew cried out, causing Derek to round on him, eyes wide, jaw dropped.

Casey looked at the three in the living room, and asked, in an irritated tone, "What did he do, now?"

Drew walked over to Casey, looking hurt, "He told Kendra to come over here and try to make me flirt with her, all as one big prank on you. He wanted to hurt you, and in the process make me look like a jerk."

Casey did not say a word. But her eyes narrowed, and they were filling up with tears fast. She walked over to Derek and stood right in front of him. She just stared up at him for a second, and then she slapped him right across the face. After that, she ran upstairs and everyone could hear her door slam loudly. Lizzie looked at Derek, looking confused at how their plan had been so royally screwed up. Drew looked over at Kendra and smiled, and then mouthed 'Call me.'

She got up and huffed, then turned to Derek and Lizzie, "Sorry, Derek, Lizzie. See you guys around." She completely ignored Drew and left the house.

Lizzie grimaced and ran upstairs to try and calm down her sister. Derek turned to Drew, outraged.

Drew smiled smugly, "Derek, Derek, Derek. If you're going to make a _private_ phone call, make sure you close the doors so no one else can hear you. And when you plan to make Drew Venturi look bad, prepare to fail." And with that he left the house as well, to God knows where to do God knows what.

Derek groaned; now Casey hated him more than ever, _and_ Drew knew what he was up to.

Could the day get any worse?

A loud cry of pain from upstairs answered the question for him:

Yes, it could get _much_ worse.


	6. Chapter 6: Such a Small Scream

**A/N: It's short but full of emotion and needed! R&R, loves!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Six: Such a Small Scream**

Derek ran up the stairs as he heard Marti's scream of pain. He burst into her door and saw her lying on her floor, her arm twisted at an odd angle, a large, lopsided stack of mix-matched chairs behind her. She was facedown and her left arm looked like it would if it were folded in front of her. But backwards. It made Derek sick to just look at it. She was so little, and to see her body messed up like it was, hurt him. He gently picked her up, avoiding touching her left arm. He held her in his arms and looked into her little face; her eyes closed tight, her face scrunched up in pain.

"Smarti, what happened?" he asked gently, pain in his voice, this was killing him.

Marti blinked twice, and then looked up at him, "I tried to fly, Smerek, you always say I can. So I wanted to try. But I fell." Her voice was small and weak, and full of pain.

Tears collected in Derek's eyes as he remembered the conversation he had with her a few weeks ago.

"_Smerek? Can I fly?" Marti asked, sitting on his lap as he watched T.V. _

_He looked down at her and smiled, "Of course you can, Smarti. You're a Venturi, we can do anything we want to." _

"_Really?" she smiled real big. _

"_Really." He smiled and began to tickle her._

Her squeals of laughter from the tickle fest rang in his ears as he looked down at his broken little sister. He stood up carefully and walked into the hallway.

"Casey!" he cried, his voice cracking, tears threatening to overflow from his eyes.

"SHUT UP DEREK!" he heard her cruel voice call from behind her shut door.

"Casey, it's Marti! She's hurt! She needs to go to the hospital!"

Casey came running out of her room and hurried over to him. She looked down at Marti and gasped, "Derek, what happened to her?"

Derek gulped, "She tried to fly." He said, weakly.

"OW! SMEREK! IT HURTS!" Marti screamed in pain.

Casey looked worried, "Liz, call Mom at work. EDWIN! Go get in the car!" Edwin came scrambling down from his room in the attic. He looked at Marti and made no comment just ran away down to the car. Lizzie used Casey's cell phone to call her mom and Casey helped Derek bring Marti carefully to the car. Derek sat in the back and held Marti in his lap. They rushed to the hospital as Lizzie hurriedly told her mom to get George and meet them at the hospital for Marti.

Derek was going out of his mind with worry. He couldn't take it. He needed Marti to be Ok. He couldn't take this much bad news in one day. As they arrived at the emergency room, Derek took off with Marti to get her seen, and let Casey handle the other two kids. He was asked to fill out paper work and he lost it.

"MY SIX-YEAR OLD SISTER'S ARM IS BENT THE WRONG WAY! I CAN'T FILL OUT PAPERWORK! SHE NEEDS TO BE SEEN BY A DOCTOR!" he yelled at the nurse.

Hours went by and Marti was in the X-Ray room. George, Nora and Derek were anxiously waiting in the room Marti had been in minutes before she was taken away. Casey had taken the middle kids into the lobby for a snack and they were going to be back any minute. Derek couldn't sit still his legs were bouncing as he sat down and he was nervously tapping his legs with his fingers.

Marti was special to him. She had to be alright. She just had to.

Second only to Casey, she was the girl he treasured the most.

He held his face in his hands and let the tears fall; he had been the one who had told her she could fly. Why had he been so stupid? Didn't he know she believed everything he said and took it literally?

Why did he have to be such a bad role-model? Why did he have to be such a bad brother? Why did he have to be such a jerk?


	7. Chapter 7: If Only She Would Listen

**A/N: It took a little longer than normal. But I have written chapter eight already... and I'm working on nine. But I'm going to wait a little bit before I put the next chapter up. Unless I get like reviews saying stuff like: UPDATE NOW! ahaha. I just want you readers to be happy. So let me know what you think! R&R!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Seven: If Only She Would Listen**

Derek's eyelids were drooping and his arm was propping up his head. He was sitting in a chair beside Marti's hospital bed, watching her sleep. She had to stay over night, because her fall had not only broken her arm, it had also caused her some head injuries. So, Derek had volunteered to stay with her while Nora and George took the kids home to go to bed. Derek had not seen Casey in hours. He wasn't sure if she had stayed, went to find Drew, or just went home. He was worried about her, but he was even more worried about Marti. He was scared that her injuries would be too serious. He didn't want her to go through surgeries or treatments. He just wanted her to come home and be his normal, happy sister again.

He rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. She looked so peaceful and not in pain as she slept. He hoped the pain wouldn't stay very long for her. He hoped it would go away fast and that she could get back to being her adventurous self. He gently pushed the hair off of her eyes, his touch full of love. He smiled; he loved her so much.

"You're a great big brother, you know." A familiar voice said from the doorway.

Derek turned quickly and he saw Casey leaning on the doorframe, looking in, and her face was not readable, "Hey, I thought you went home." Derek whispered, his voice hoarse.

Casey walked in and sat in the chair on the other side of Marti's bed, "And leave you here all alone." He looked at her, surprised and her eyebrows furrowed, "Leave you alone to keep an eye on Marti. That didn't work out so well last time…"

Derek's eyes narrowed, "Don't blame this on me. I was downstairs. How was I supposed to know what was going on a whole floor above me. You were on the same floor as she was. You're just as much at fault as I am. But why are we blaming each other? It was an accident. No one's to blame."

Casey looked down at Marti and her face softened, "You're right."

Derek's mouth opened wide, "Did Casey McDonald just admit that_ I_ was right?

Casey gave him a look, "Derek. Now is not the time. I don't even know why I'm talking to you. After that idiotic stunt you pulled earlier."

"It wasn't a stunt!" She looked at him, doubtfully, "Ok, so it _was_ a stunt, but you've got it all wrong, I was just trying to show you that Drew is not a nice guy. It was the wrong way to do it though."

Casey bit her lip, "All you showed me is that Drew is a better guy than you'll _ever_ be!" She stood up abruptly and walked over to the door, but stopped when Derek spoke up.

"Casey, I know things about Drew that he hides so well. I've known him much longer than you have. He _is_ my cousin. So, please, just trust me on this. Please."

She looked back at him, his face was pleading. She looked away again, "I… can't, Derek."

Derek stood up, "Who are you going to trust more? Me, the stepbrother you've had for over a year? Or some guy you know nothing about and just met yesterday."

"Drew. I've known you long enough to know all you think about is lying and pranks. Drew is different, I know that he is someone I can trust," She glared back at him, "Unlike you." And with that, she left the room.

Derek fell back into his chair. He cupped his hands on his face, covering it; Drew was ruining his life again. His father had never had full trust in Derek after that night two years ago. And now, Casey would never have full trust in him because of the 'stunt' he pulled.

"Smerek, are you and Casey fighting about me?" Marti asked, her voice small and quiet.

Derek looked at her, her eyes were still shut, but there was a slight frown on her face. He put his hand on her cheek, "No, Smarti, we would never fight about you."

She smiled for a second and leaned into his hand, but then frowned again, "But then, why were you fighting?"

Derek sighed, "I did something earlier today that made her mad. And it was worse than any other prank I've ever pulled on her. Even though I was trying to help her."

"But, if you were trying to help her, why is she mad at you?"

Derek smiled a small, sad smile, "You know Casey, she takes things weird. And she just doesn't want to listen."

Marti giggled, "Alright, Smerek. I hope you two stop fighting soon. I don't like it when you fight."

"Neither do I, Smarti, neither do I."

She yawned, "I'm tired, Smerek, I'm going back to sleep, now."

He smiled, "Ok, Smarti. He kissed her on the forehead, "Good night."

"Good night, Smerek." She fell asleep with a large smile on her face.

Derek grinned at her. She was the only person in the family who trusted him. Sometimes she trusted him _too_ much. If he hadn't said that she could fly, she wouldn't have tried and she wouldn't be in the hospital right now. But he had told her that, and it was killing him. He felt like it was his entire fault. He couldn't do anything right anymore. He needed to think of a way to make Casey see the truth. He would have worked on Marti's problem first, only he couldn't do anything because he wasn't a doctor. So, he needed to work on the Casey problem. More like the Drew problem. But what could he do?

He stood up and picked up one of the snacks Lizzie had left him. As he opened it quietly, the wheels in his brain began to whirl and he smiled. He stuffed a chip in his mouth and sat back down. Drew was going to pay for everything he had done to Derek. He was long overdue for some karma. Derek smiled; Drew was in for a wake-up call the next day.

Because when you mess with Derek Venturi's life and take away his girl, you have to be prepared for payback.

And Derek beamed at the idea that Drew was not prepared at all for payback of any kind. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. As he got closer and closer to falling asleep, his eyelids drooped and shut and his chips fell from his hand, hitting the floor, soundlessly. Derek entered a peaceful sleep where his dreams were full of happy, healthy Marti's and Casey's who trusted and liked him.


	8. Chapter 8: He Has a Plan

**A/N: Ok, so I just couldn't leave you guys hanging. I had to update asap. ahaha. Hope you guys like this:D R&R!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Eight: He Has a Plan**

Derek woke up the next morning with a crick in his neck. He looked around at the room he was in and then he looked at Marti. She was awake and looking at him, as if waiting for him to wake up. She smiled when she saw his eyes open.

"Finally! You took so long to wake up!" she cried happily.

He grinned and stood up, stretching, "Where's Dad and Nora?" he asked; he had expected them to be here already.

"We're right here." George said coming into the room, "We've come to relieve you, son. You've been here all night; you need to go home now."

Derek nodded and took one of the car keys from Nora, "Bye Smarti!" he kissed her cheek and waved to his parents as he left. He walked through the empty, white hallways, thinking of his plan for Drew. As he left the hospital and stepped out into the bright sun, he grinned, he had finally come up with a foolproof plan that would show up Drew and make Casey trust him again. He got into the car and turned the radio up loudly, singing obnoxiously to it, laughing the whole time. It had been a very long time since he had felt this excited. In a matter of minutes he was in his driveway. He sat in the car for a few minutes, going over his plan, making sure everything actually would work. He nodded, how could it not?

He got out of the car and went into the house. He went up the stairs to do the first step of his plan: get Edwin and Lizzie's help. Mostly Lizzie's. He knocked on his stepsister's door and called out her name. She opened the door and looked up at him.

"Yes, Derek?"

"Come on, I need to talk to you and Ed." He said and took her by the arm and they went up to Edwin's room. They knocked on the door.

"Come in!" he called and they opened the door.

Edwin's room was a complete mess. Even more so than Derek's and that was saying something. It had a foul odor and it looked as if a bomb of dirty laundry had been set off in the room. Edwin was lying on his bed, reading a comic book, looking very comfortable.

Lizzie and Derek made their way through the mess and went over to the bed. They were afraid to sit down, so they just stood beside the bed and looked down at Edwin.

"So, what's up, guys?" he asked, throwing his comic onto the littered floor.

Derek shook his head, "I need to talk to you both. Ed, you don't know what happened to me and Drew when I was your age, but I just need you to believe me. He is _not_ a good guy. Trust me. I know what I'm talking about. And I need your help to show Casey this."

"Why? So you can get her to like you again?"

"What? Why would I want her to like me? And what do you mean again? Do you two know something I don't?"

Lizzie laughed, "Don't worry, Derek. Once we prove to Casey that Drew really is a jerk, everything will be back to normal."

Derek nodded, "Right. So I have a plan, but I need you two to help me, or it will never work."

They nodded.

"Alright, listen, Drew can't stand being all alone. He needs to have a girl with him at all times." The two nodded, looking interested, "Well, if we leave him alone at the house, telling him that he has to stay just in case Nora or George come home, then he will be all alone. He won't try to call Casey because she will be busy. And that's where you come in, Liz. I need you to get Casey to do something for at least an hour. I don't care what it is. I just need her out of the house for a little bit. Since Drew won't have Casey, he'll try to call another girl. But, it's been so long since he's been here that he won't know any other girls or their numbers. So, Ed, this is where I need you to come in. I need you to gather a list of Casey's friends and numbers and put them somewhere that Drew will see. When we're all gone, he'll find it and try to call one of them. Put Kendra at the top, he'll try her first. And whichever girl he gets to come over, it doesn't matter. We just need to have him bring one over."

"But what if he doesn't find the list?" Edwin asked.

Derek scratched his head, "Put it somewhere you _know_ he'll find it. Like maybe the coffee table. It doesn't matter if he sees it before we leave. That's actually better. He'll know it's there and use it right away. We need this to be quick. So, can I get you guys to help me?"

Lizzie looked at Edwin, and he looked at her. He nodded and she turned to Derek, "Of course. I don't want my sister dating that jerk. I want her to be with someone…_better._" She winked at Derek and made her way carefully out of the messy room.

Derek stared after her and grinned; she _did_ know something he didn't. And he wanted to know what. Edwin went to pick up his comic and Derek shook his head, "No, Ed. I need you to get that list together. I want this to happen as soon as possible."

Edwin nodded and got up off the bed. Then he and Derek left the room. Derek breathed deeply as he stepped into the hall, where he could breathe and not want to pass out. He grinned and went over to Casey's door. He motioned for Lizzie to come over and she hurried to the two boys.

"Ok, Lizzie, I need you to take her out now. Give us a good hour to get the list and make up an excuse to leave. Then bring her back. We'll be hidden in the kitchen, and I need you to make sure she walks in on Drew _and_ the girl."

Lizzie nodded, "Sounds doable." She smiled and knocked on her sister's door. Edwin and Derek hurried into Derek's room and shut the door, pressing their ears against the wall to listen.

"Hey, Case." Lizzie said, sitting down on the bed next to Casey.

"Hey, Liz." Casey said, distractedly and began writing in her diary again.

Lizzie looked at her sister, "Come on, Case. I know you're stressed out about Derek and about Marti. So, come on let's go do something to get your mind off it. Let's go get our nails done or something."

Casey gave her sister a skeptical look, "But you hate getting your nails done."

She smiled, "But you don't."

Casey grinned, "Ok. Thanks Liz, you're right, I _am_ stressed…"

And the two sisters left the room, chattering excitedly as girls do. Derek smiled and nodded to Edwin, giving him a thumb's up. Edwin nodded and left the room and into Casey's as fast as he could. Derek, on the other hand, went downstairs to make sure his cousin did not leave the house. He grinned as he heard the sounds of his cousin sleeping long before he saw him. Drew snored very badly, he had a problem. Derek held back a laugh and went into the kitchen. He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a bite. It tasted sweet. Just like revenge.


	9. Chapter 9: Revenge of Derek

**A/N: So, Casey is a freaking drama queen, and she needs to get over herself. I could totally make her get over herself in this story, since I'm the author, but I'm just making her do, what her character most likely would do. Derek on the other hand, I know he's sweet deep down, and this fanfic is all about Derek's sweet side, to his siblings, (Mostly Casey). But I'm showing his tough side to Drew. Believe me, Drew needs it! R&R, loves! I hope you enjoy!!!**

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Nine: Revenge of Derek**

Derek sat in the kitchen, anxiously awaiting Edwin to be finished. He had finished his apple and was now leaning against the bar, hoping that Drew would not wake up anytime soon. After a few seconds, Edwin came rushing loudly down the stairs. Derek met him in the living room and they spoke in loud voices.

"Derek! I got that list of all of Casey's friends!" Edwin said, loudly, as was part of the plan.

Derek grinned, "Great! Just put it on the coffee table. We'll call them soon, while Casey's out!" Drew's eyes opened and he sat up.

"Casey's out?" Drew asked.

Derek nodded, "Yeah, she and Lizzie went out again. Something about having a girls' day out. They said they're gonna be gone all day. Girls…" Derek sounded pretty convincing if he did say so himself.

Drew's eyebrows rose, "Really?"

"Yeah, but, as much as I would like to enjoy life without Casey in the house, I promised Dad I would take Edwin to his friend's house." Derek rolled his eyes, and sighed, "Are you gonna be alright by yourself? I'm gonna be gone for over an hour, I have some errands to run.

Drew smiled, "Oh, I think I'll be just fine," his eyes flickered to the piece of paper in Edwin's hand.

Edwin didn't notice, but nonetheless he put the paper on the coffee table, and grabbed his coat, "Come _on_, Derek! Jason's not going to wait much longer! We're already late!" Edwin said, waiting impatiently by the door.

Derek shrugged to Drew, and hurried over to the door. He grabbed the keys and hurried out the door. He and Edwin got into the car, turned it on and pulled out of the driveway. They drove down the street and parked in the parking lot of a park down the street. Derek winced as he remembered the many times he had brought Marti here. He got out of the car and stuffed the keys far into his pocket.

"Come on, Ed, we've got to find a way to get into the house with making Drew notice."

Edwin nodded and hurried to follow Derek as they began to sneak back to their house. They snuck into their backyard from the Davis' yard. Derek made his way to the back door of the house. He looked through the small window, watching out for Drew. He saw his cousin on the phone smiling and laughing. Then, he hung up and walked back into the living room. Derek waited a few minutes and then motioned for Edwin to come over. He put his finger over his lips to make sure he knew to be quiet. Edwin nodded, and Derek slowly turned the doorknob. He held the door open and Edwin rushed in, keeping low. Derek followed and closed the door very quietly behind him. He smiled as it closed soundlessly. He and Edwin kept low behind the half-wall that separated the laundry room and the kitchen. They heard Drew moving around in the living room, and then they heard the doorbell ring after a few minutes. Derek prayed it wasn't Lizzie and Casey, then that would spoil everything. He sighed with relief when he heard the voice of one of Casey's dance friends.

He smirked as he heard Drew talking cool and letting 'Alicia' in. Drew offered a couple of movies for the two of them to watch and when they finally decided on one, they put it in.

"I'll go make some popcorn." Drew offered and hurried into the kitchen. Derek and Edwin made sure they were completely unseen and slid further down behind the wall. They heard Drew moving about the kitchen and then he left as the microwave cooked the popcorn. Derek sighed quietly and looked at Edwin. He looked focused, as if he had his own reasons for busting Drew. Derek wanted to ask, but remembered his position and began to listen harder. He had to hold in laughter as he heard Drew use cheesy pick up lines. But the Alicia seemed to be enjoying it. She sure was laughing a lot. The microwave beeped and Derek and Edwin sat still.

Popcorn now done and in a bowl, Drew left the kitchen and Derek and Edwin snuck around and went behind the counter. Drew wouldn't come in the kitchen anymore. He was enjoying the movie with Alicia. Derek and Edwin peered over the counter, counting the minutes until Lizzie walked in through the door.

A good fifteen minutes later, Derek and Edwin bit back grins as the doorknob turned. As the door opened, Drew was so busy kissing Alicia that he did not see anything else. Casey and Lizzie had walked in just in time to see the two of them in a major lip lock. Lizzie suppressed a smiled as she saw Derek and Edwin's eyes over the counter.

"DREW? ALICIA?" Casey cried, her breaths quickening and her face growing red.

Derek though fast. He pulled Edwin out the backdoor quietly and they ran around the house. They opened the door, and saw that Casey was still staring at her friend and her crush. She turned on Derek and Edwin, her face red and angry.

"YOU!" she pointed a shaking finger at Derek, "Did you have anything to do with this?"

Derek looked at her, keeping his cool, "With what?" Then his eyes fell on Drew and Alicia, "Oh. No. I didn't. But what happened?"

"I walked in to find these two making out!" she said walking into the living room.

Derek bit back a grin, "I tried to tell you, Case."

Drew glared at Derek. It was obvious; he had never hated his cousin more than that moment. Derek smiled innocently at his cousin, and he then turned to Casey, "I'm really sorry he did this to you." He put a hand on her shoulder, and when she didn't pull away, he smiled at her.

She looked at him and met his eye, "Derek." She said softly, and put a hand on his cheek, "You're really sweet. You went through trouble to make me see how bad he was. And then I really found out… just how… bad YOU really are!" she slapped his cheek and pulled Drew up by the collar of his shirt. She punched him square in the nose and left both Venturi boys in shock as she ran up the stairs.

Alicia stood up and looked at Drew, who was holding his nose, "What a drama queen!" he said, his voice nasally.

Alicia looked at him with raised eyebrows, "She's my friend! And you intentionally hurt her! I'm out of here!" she cried and ran out of the house, grabbing her stuff as she went.

Edwin and Lizzie looked at each other and shrugged. Then they ran upstairs, just not as mad or upset as Casey had. Derek glanced at Drew, who was still holding his nose, and moaning in pain. He grinned, pushed Drew's chest and made him fall back onto the couch. Then he followed his siblings up the stairs. He hurried over to Casey's door. He should have been happy. She hated Drew now. But in the process he had made her hate him. He had finally stood up to his cousin.

But now could he stand up to Casey?


	10. Chapter 10:He's Trying to Find the Words

**A/N: Well, I've had a lot of time on my hands today, and I knew you guys were anxious for a new chapter, so here you go. I wanted it to be much longer, but oh well, don't I always. :D So, hope you enjoy! R&R, loves! **

**-Jacki :)**

**Chapter Ten: He's Finding the Words**

Derek stood outside Casey's door for quite some time, just trying to gather his thoughts. He also thought it would be smarter to give Casey some space after her little outburst. He couldn't hear anything from her room, and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. He leaned his head against the wooden door and took a deep breath. Lizzie stepped out in the hall and grinned as she noticed that Derek was still standing there. She stepped up beside him and looked at his scared face.

"Derek, go!" she whispered, pushing his arm in an attempt to get him in Casey's room.

He smiled down at her, "Thanks, Liz, for everything." It was a real, genuine smile.

He slowly opened the door and walked in. He looked around the room and spotted Casey lying on her bed, near the same position she had been in when he had come to talk to her two days ago. She didn't look up, she continued to lie there, and her eyes were closed. He quietly closed the door behind him and knelt beside her bed. For a second he just sat there and watched her sleep. But as her eyes flickered open, he immensely regretted not saying something at first.

"Derek!?" she cried sitting up and staring at him, not mad, just confused and surprised.

He stood up and looked her in the eye, "Look, Case…"

"What are you doing in here, Derek?"

He couldn't find the right words, and for once in his lifetime, Derek was stammering in front of a girl, "Well, you see, I- um- I wanted to, well, I just, Iwantedtocomeapologize!" he said it all at once so he could get it out.

"What?!" she said, eyebrows raised.

He took a deep breath, "I said; I wanted to come apologize."

"Oh, really? The great Derek Venturi has come to say he's sorry. How convenient." She sounded offended and upset now.

"Oh, come on Casey, you see I was right now! I was just trying to get you to see he was a bad person!"

"So, you did plan it, then?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

She made an irritated noise and jumped up off her bed, "I knew it! How could you Derek! Do you really hate me that much?! Do you like to see me hurt?!"

"Of course not, Case. I didn't want to hurt you…"

She let out a bitter laugh, "Oh, you didn't?"

"NO! I didn't! I tried to warn you about him. I really did, but you were all over him! Just like every other girl! And he knows that! He knows he can get any girl he wants. He takes advantage of it! He's never without a girl. You have to trust me! I've known him my whole life. You've known him for two and a half days. I can't make someone make out with a girl. That was all him. I just arranged the meeting. He did the rest. I swear!"

She glared at him hard, "I don't see why I should trust you. You're just like him. Triple D Venturi. You could get any girl you wanted as well. You're just as bad as he is!"

"I can't get any girl I wanted." He mumbled.

"What?!"

"I can't get any girl I wanted." He said louder this time.

"Of course you can! I've seen you at school all the time, 'Der'." She said the last part sarcastically, "The girls are practically drooling over you twenty four seven. With just one word any girl would give anything to go out with you."

"I don't want any of those girls!" Derek said, his face growing, trying not to raise his voice, but the louder she went, the louder he went.

"Oh, now you're too good for the girls at school. Who are you into now? College girls?" Casey looked hurt now, and Derek could not, for the life of him, figure out why.

"No! She's the one girl I could never be with. It also doesn't help that she hates my guts."

Casey looked over at him, her eyes softening, but when she spoke, her voice was still loud and angry, "And what girl hates your guts, pray tell?"

Derek's face was now extremely red, but he looked up at her, stared into her eyes and said, "You." And without waiting for her reply, he ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Casey stood completely still. Did she really hear Derek say that he liked her? She couldn't believe it. How could she have been so blind? It was like the whole Scott issue all over again. Derek was only trying to show Drew's true colors because he really did care about her. She was so stupid. He had done so much, and what had she given him in return? Blame, guilt, hatred, and a slap in the face.

Seriously, how oblivious can you get?

She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him how she felt. He needed to know that all his efforts weren't for nothing. She needed to thank him. Apologize. He needed to know that she hadn't been thinking clearly when she yelled at him in the hospital, when she had blamed Marti's accident on him. Nor when she slapped him. She should have believed him from the start, and she was going to tell him. She ran out of the room and looked in his room. He wasn't there. She ran up to Edwin's room to see if he was in there. The only person in there was Edwin, not that anyone could tell he was the only one in there, the room was so messy.

"Look, Casey, I know my room's a mess, don't say anything!" Edwin said, putting his hands up.

She smiled, "Normally, I would say something, but right now I need to find Derek, you wouldn't happen to know where he went, would you?"

Edwin grinned, "Finally, I'm telling you, you both are so blind."

"Ed?!" she cried, impatiently.

"Sorry, Casey, I haven't seen him since we were all downstairs."

Casey groaned and ran back into the hall, where she ran into Lizzie, "Liz!"

Lizzie smiled at the look on Casey's face, "He's downstairs. He's about to leave, so you need to hurry."

Casey looked at her sister, confused, "How-"

Lizzie shook her head, "Just go, or he'll be gone!" she said, pushing her towards the stairs.

Casey smiled gratefully at her sister and hurried to the top of the stairs, "Derek!"

He was at the door and had his leather jacket on. The car keys were in his hand and his other hand was on the doorknob.

"Wait!" she cried and rushed down the stairs and ran into the railing that was facing the door.

He turned around to look at her, his eyes watering. He looked up into her eyes, searching them for what she was about to say. She hurried over to him and looked up at him. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. His eyes widened and his eyebrows rose. She nodded up at him and his face brightened as he smiled. He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked down at her smiling face.

"Derek, I'm so sorry. For everything. For not believing you about Drew. For blaming Marti's accident on you. For treating you like dirt. For slapping you when you didn't need it." She took a deep breath, "But most of all, I'm sorry for letting you think that I hate you. Because I most definitely do not."

He smiled, "You don't?"

"Not even a little bit. Just the opposite, really. I like you. Very much."

He leaned in closer and put his cheek on hers, and whispered in her ear, "I like you, too." Then he pulled away and leaned his forehead on hers. She smiled up at him.

He was about to say something again, but Casey leaned in and put her lips on his. He was surprised at first, but then he welcomed the kiss and kissed her in return. When they broke apart, Casey laid her head on Derek's chest and the keys slowly fell from his grasp as began to rub her back gently. They were so into each other that they did not notice that they had an audience.

Lizzie and Edwin stood at the top of the stairs, smiling down at their older siblings. Lizzie turned to him, "Finally. I don't know how much more hints they needed!" she whispered.

He laughed, "I know, right?"

The two laughed silently and turned around and went back to their separate rooms, shaking their heads at the obliviousness of teenagers.


	11. Chapter 11: They're Finally Together

**Chapter Eleven: They're Finally Together**

Casey smiled as she wrote the last words of her essay. She was to turn it in tomorrow, Monday, the first day of school, when it was due. Her summer had been an interesting one, but the last two weeks were days she would never forget. She moved her cursor to the top of the Microsoft Word document and made her font bold-faced and a bigger size. She smiled as she wrote the title of the essay. As she was saving the document and getting ready to print it, someone entered her room and shut the door behind them. She turned around and looked into Derek's face. She had been expecting him; it was around the time he normally came in. It was the time everyone else was out of the house, and they had time to themselves.

Drew had left the day before. He hadn't caused any trouble since his first three days there, and Casey and Derek had barely paid any attention to him. He had spent most of his days out of the Venturi/McDonald household, and no one really knew or cared what he was up to. But, nevertheless, they were not surprised when three girls showed up at the house right before he had to leave, all crying and hugging him, not caring that there were other girls doing the same thing they were. Once Drew had left, things weren't very different. Derek and Casey were just glad that they didn't have to worry about him causing trouble.

Derek came over to Casey and put his hands on her shoulders and knelt down so his mouth was by her ear, "It's our time." He smiled.

She grinned and leaned in and kissed his lips, "Yes it is," she said as she pulled away.

He took her hands and pulled her up and over to the bed, where they sat down. Derek leaned in and kissed her lips once more. They didn't even hear the printer go off, or see the paper come out of it. They were to into each other, just like they always were during this time. It was their time. And nothing was going to stop them from having their time.

**How My Stepbrother Effected My Life**

**Written by Casey McDonald**

My stepbrother, Derek, is one of the reasons I am who I am today. He has changed me so much since I moved onto his house. He may prank me all the time, but I have learned to laugh at them, and see the mastering of the art behind them. He may make fun of me a lot, but because of that, I can laugh at myself. He keeps the rotten guys out of my life, and even though I think it's because he wants to ruin my life, he's really doing it because he really does care, and doesn't want to see me get hurt by them. He may seem like a jerk 95 of the time, but there is a 5 that shows every now and then, and when it does show, you can see the real Derek. Especially when he's with his little sister; he's a great older brother, and when she was in the hospital recently with a broken arm and some head trauma, he stayed with her at every possible moment he could. I could see that he cared about her so much. She's home now, and Derek is doing everything he can to help her. It's so sweet. And I can tell he cares about our blended family so much. And through it all, being Derek's stepsister has changed me. But being his friend has made me into a better person. He can bring out the best and the worst in me, but I think that's why he deserves this essay being about him. Because he's the one that changed me the most. And he's the one that I will always give the credit to for why I am the way I am now.


	12. AN: Importante! :D

**A/N: Hey guys, I love all the support on this story! It makes me so happy to see you guys enjoying it! OK… so there is a spectacular trailer to this story on youtube, made by the fabulous hm8luver. :D OK, I tried to put the link on here, but it doesn't work. So, just go to youtube and look up hm8luver, and look in her vids for The Way She Looks at Him trailer. Sorry guys! **

**And also, go check out the sequel to this story: The Way They Look At Us!**

**I love you guys!**

**-Jacki :) **


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